Quick change blow mold shell assembly

ABSTRACT

A quick change blow mold shell assembly is disclosed. The blow mold shell assembly includes a carrier plate and a blow mold half shell for being fastened to the carrier plate. A first slotted opening is defined in an edge of the carrier plate, and a corresponding second slotted opening is defined in an edge of the blow mold half shell. The first and second openings are placed in registry with one another as the shell is positioned on its carrier plate. A fastener clip is also provided, the clip being sized and shaped to be received in each one of the respective openings, and being constructed and arranged to align the first and second openings with respect to one another, to draw the shell snuggly against the carrier plate, and to fasten the shell to its carrier plate as a fastener is passed through the clip and into the carrier plate.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates in general to blow mold machinery, and tothe blow molding of containers. More particularly, this inventionrelates to an improved blow mold shell assembly having a blow mold shelland carrier plate in which the blow mold shell is adapted to be changedout for use in a quick and expedient fashion, while also aligning andfastening the blow mold shell to its carrier plate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A large number of beverages, to include a wide variety of foodproducts, are packaged in plastic bottles and/or containers. Plastic hasproven to be a useful material as it can be readily adapted and formedinto a variety of shapes and sizes, as well as designs. Moreover, avariety of plastics can be used to form bottles to package beverages,for example, as well as containers for semi-solid food products toinclude mayonnaise and peanut butter. Such plastics includepolyethylene, polyvinylchloride, and polyethylene terephthalate, alsoknown as “PET” to those skilled in the industry.

[0003] The use of PET has grown due to the ease with which the materialcan be formed through a blow molding operation, either injection blowmolding, stretch blow molding, or extrusion blow molding. Moreover, PEThas the benefit of being lightweight, transparent, and has a superiorresistance to impact, heat and pressure and lastly, it is 100%recyclable.

[0004] The shape, size and/or design of the molded PET container is aresult of the design machined into a blow mold shell assembly. The shellassembly will typically include two opposed mold shell halves, each ofwhich is machined, typically, from a ductile and durable metallicmaterial, such as steel, to include stainless steel, and more recentlyaluminum. Aluminum offers the advantage of being lighter in weight, andeasier to machine, although it can be more easily damaged. Once the moldshell halves are fabricated, they are then each affixed to a separateone of a pair of opposed support plates, also known as carrier plates orshell holders, which are themselves affixed to the blow mold machine,and more particularly to a shell opening and closing device.

[0005] In the blow mold process, a heated PET preform is positionedbetween the mold shell halves, whereupon the mold shell halves are thenclosed about the preform by the shell opening and closing device, atwhich point in time the preform is stretched, and compressed air orother suitable gases are passed into the preform such that it expandsand takes on the shape of the mold cavity, and thus the containerdefined by the mold shell halves and an adjoining base portion of themold which is moved into position as the shell halves close about thepreform.

[0006] The known types of blow mold machines used for the processinclude linear or straight line blow mold machines which move the blowmold shells along a straight line toward and away from one another, asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,432 to Wurzer, and U.S. Pat. No.5,551,861 to Baldi. The newer generation of blow molding machines arerotary blow mold machines, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No.3,854,855 to Pollock, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,542 to Oles, et al.;U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,860 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,648, both to Budzynski,et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,729 to Valles, which patent is assignedto Sidel S. A., the parent company of the assignee of this application.

[0007] In order to make a variety of containers in differing shapes,sizes and/or designs, it is necessary to “cut” molds for each suchspecific shape, size, and/or design. In order to produce a variety ofshapes, sizes and designs among these blow mold containers, therefore, acontainer manufacturer or food packager can either have a machinededicated to producing a certain type of container, or will be requiredto remove and replace differing blow mold shell sets, i.e. matching blowmold shell halves and the base assembly, from the blow mold machine whenchanging over from producing containers of a first size to a secondsize, for example. In a straight line blow mold machine such as thatdisclosed in the '861 patent to Baldi or the '432 patent to Wurzer, thisis relatively easy to accomplish in that there typically is an adequateamount of room for a machine service technician to gain access to themolds, remove them from their carrier plates, and then install the newshell halves. However, on rotary blow mold machines, this becomes moreof a problem.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,250 to Doudement, also assigned to the parentconcern of the assignee of this invention, discloses an opening andclosing mechanism for use in opening and closing a blow mold half shellson a rotary blow mold machine. As shown in Doudement, the mechanism isconfigured as a clam shell arrangement having a fixed pivot about whichthe mold shell halves will be pivoted for opening and closing. Thecarrier plates of the shell assembly will be affixed to the opening andclosing mechanism, and in turn the blow mold shell halves will beremoved from and replaced on their respective carrier plates based onthe size, shape, or design of the container being produced.

[0009] The problem faced, however, by machine service technicians isthat as this is a clam shell type of opening and closing mechanism,there is a limited amount of space available for gaining access to anythreaded fasteners, or other fasteners which may be used for securingthe blow mold shell halves to the holder or carrier plates. The changingover of the blow mold shell halves thus becomes a laborious and tediousprocess, made all the more difficult by the close confines within whichthese machines are typically housed. Thus, there is a need for animproved blow mold shell assembly in which the blow mold shells can bequickly and easily installed, removed, and replaced, as needed, toimprove production efficiency and reduce the amount of machine downtimeincurred when changing over the blow mold shell sets.

[0010] Another problem faced when changing over blow mold shell sets,more so on a clam shell type of holder arrangement on a rotary blow moldmachine than with a straight line machine, is the alignment of the shellhalves with their respective carrier plates. As known to those of skillin the art, a cooling or heat-treating fluid is oftentimes passedthrough conduits or channels defined in the carrier plate, the carrierplate in turn having ports which will be positioned in registry withinlet and discharge ports, respectively, defined in the blow mold shellhalves. The precise alignment of the shell halves on the carrier platesis thus necessary in order to ensure that the cooling or heat-treatingfluid does not leak out over the molds during the blow mold process,leading to undesirable or unacceptable containers, all of which tends todecrease machine efficiency. What is needed, therefore, is an improvedblow mold shell assembly in which not only can the blow mold shells bequickly and easily removed and replaced, but which will also preciselyalign the blow mold shell with its respective carrier plate during thechangeover process.

[0011] An additional problem faced by blow mold container manufacturersdeals with the use of the newer generation of mold shell materials, forexample aluminum. A great many blow mold shell halves are threadablyaffixed to their carrier plates by passing a threaded fastener throughthe carrier plate and into the mold shell, or by using clamps or strapswhich are threadably passed into both the carrier plate and the moldshell halve. The problem faced with using softer metals, for examplealuminum, is that a machine service technician may over tighten afastener such that the threads within the shell become stripped ordestroyed, necessitating that the shell be removed from use andretapped, if possible, as the shell will no longer be securely fixed toits carrier plate, nor will it remain in a fixed position on its carrierplate during the high operating speeds employed by rotary blow moldmachines. Moreover, due to the cost of machining blow mold shell halves,it is desirable that the service life of the shell half be extended foras long a time period as possible. What is needed, therefore, is animproved quick change blow mold shell assembly which will quickly andeasily secure a blow mold shell half to its respective carrier platewithout requiring the use of threaded fasteners passed into the blowmold shell.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The present invention provides an improved quick change blow moldshell assembly which overcomes some of the design deficiencies of theknown blow mold shell assemblies. This invention provides a simple,efficient, and cost effective quick change blow mold shell assembly foruse on the known types of blow mold machinery, and with which blow moldshell halves can be quickly, easily, and accurately changed out when itis desired to change the blow mold shells during a product size ordesign changeover, especially on rotary blow mold machines.

[0013] The improved quick change blow mold shell assembly of thisinvention thus includes a carrier plate adapted for being fastened to ablow mold shell assembly opening and closing device of the type known inthe art. A first opening is defined in an edge of the carrier plate. Theinvention also includes a blow mold shell, or more preferably a halfshell, having a second opening defined in an edge thereof. The first andsecond openings of the carrier plate and the half shell, respectively,are placed in registry with one another as the shell is positioned onits carrier plate for being mounted to a blow mold machine. A fastenerclip sized and shaped to be received in each one of the respectiveopenings defined in the carrier plate and the half shell, respectively,is provided. The fastener clip is constructed and arranged to align thefirst and second openings with respect to one another, thus aligning theshell with its carrier plate, while simultaneously drawing the shellsnuggly against its carrier plate as a fastener is passed through theclip and into the carrier plate for fastening the shell to its carrierplate.

[0014] The fastener clip is substantially U-shaped, and has a first legand a spaced second leg. Each leg extends in a lengthwise direction awayfrom a body portion of the clip, and each leg is tapered in itslengthwise direction. It is anticipated that the legs will be tapered atan angle of approximately 15°. In addition, each of the legs is beveledalong the spaced parallel side edges of the length of the taperedsurface.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the first andsecond openings defined in the carrier plate and the half shell,respectively, will also have a tapered surface sized complimentarily tothe taper of the respective leg of the clip received therein, each suchtapered surface also being complimentarily beveled so that the clipprogressively aligns the first and second openings with respect to oneanother, and progressively draws the shell and the carrier plate towardone another as the fastener, preferably an elongate threaded fastener,is passed through the fastener clip and into a threaded opening definedin the carrier plate.

[0016] It is anticipated that the half shell can be either a single ordual cavity blow mold shell. Moreover, in addition to the first andsecond openings defined in the top edges of the carrier plate and halfshell, respectively, it is anticipated that additional openings,provided as corresponding pairs of openings, one each in the carrierplate and the half shell, may be provided along the side edges thereof,as desired, each such pair of openings being provided with one of thefastener clips as described above.

[0017] The openings defined in the edges of the carrier plate and halfshell are formed as recessed slotted openings, sized and shaped suchthat as the fastener clip is received in such openings, it fitssubstantially flush with respect to the outwardly facing surfaces of thefastened half shell and carrier plate.

[0018] In a second embodiment, the invention includes a blow mold shellassembly for use with a known type of blow mold machine, the machinehaving a known type of clam shell style blow mold shell opening andclosing mechanism to which the blow mold assembly is mounted. Soprovided, this embodiment of the invention will include first and secondcarrier plates adapted to be separately affixed to the blow mold shellopening and closing mechanism. First and second blow mold half shellsare also provided for being separately and removably fastened to eachrespective carrier plate.

[0019] A first slotted opening is defined in a top edge of each carrierplate, and a corresponding second slotted opening is defined in the topedge of each half shell. The first and second openings are placed inregistry with one another as the respective half shells are placed ontheir carrier plates, whereupon a fastener clip, as described above, onebeing provided for each pair of the first and second openings described,is received in each one of the openings of each pair of openings, and isconstructed and arranged to align and draw each half shell snugglyagainst its respective carrier plate as a fastener is passed through theclip and into its respective carrier plate.

[0020] It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to providean improved quick change blow mold shell assembly.

[0021] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide animproved quick change blow mold shell assembly which is simple in designand construction, is rugged and durable in use, and is easy to use.

[0022] It is to these objects, as well as to the other objects,features, and advantages of the present invention, which will becomeapparent upon reading the specification, when taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, to which this invention is directed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023]FIG. 1 is perspective illustration of a blow mold shell assemblyof the present invention.

[0024]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a blow mold half shell and itscarrier plate prior to having a fastener clip passed into thecorresponding slotted openings defined within the top edges thereof.

[0025]FIG. 3A is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment ofthe fastener clip of this invention.

[0026]FIG. 3B is a top plan view of the fastener clip of FIG. 3A.

[0027]FIG. 3C is a side elevational cross-section view of the fastenerclip of FIG. 3B taken along line 3C-3C.

[0028]FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional side elevational view alongline 44 of FIG. 2 illustrating the slotted openings defined in thecarrier plates and half shells of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0029] The present invention will now be described more fullyhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which likereference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, andin which preferred embodiments are shown. It is understood by thoseskilled in the art that this invention may be embodied in many differentforms, and should not be construed as being limited to the embodimentsset forth herein. Rather, the embodiments set forth herein are providedso that the disclosure will be thorough and complete, and whichembodiments will fully convey the scope of the invention to thoseskilled in the art.

[0030] Referring now to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of blow moldshell assembly 5 is illustrated. The blow mold shell assembly isprovided for use on the known types of blow mold machines, and morepreferably for use on a rotary type of blow mold machine, as describedin U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,729 to Valles entitled “Apparatus For MakingContainers by Blow Molding Plastic Parisons”; and U.S. Pat. No.5,326,250 to Doudement, entitled, “Opening and Closing Mechanism forPortfolio Blowing and Blowing-Stretching Mold”, both of which areincorporated herein fully by this reference.

[0031] As such, blow mold shell assembly 5 is provided with a pair ofcarrier plates 7 for being fastened to an opening and closing mechanismof the type illustrated in the '250 patent to Doudement. As the deviceof Doudement is fully disclosed and described in the '250 patent, it isnot illustrated in FIG. 1, nor described in greater detail herein.

[0032] Each of carrier plates 7 is substantially identical, and includesa top edge 8, and a pair of spaced parallel side edges 9, 11 extendingdownwardly away from the top edge. In known fashion, a series of coolingfluid openings 12 are defined in the top edge of the carrier plates andin communication with suitable conduits (not illustrated) so that acooling fluid, as known, may be circulated through the carrier plateduring the blow molding operation for the purposes of heat treatingand/or cooling the blow mold shells, and/or the PET parisons during themolding process.

[0033] Still referring to FIG. 1, the blow mold shell assembly alsoincludes a pair of substantially identical blow mold half shells 14,each of which has a top edge 15, and pair of spaced parallel side edges16, 18 extending downwardly away therefrom. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,the blow mold half shells 14 illustrated here have dual mold cavities 19defined therein such that two containers may be blow moldedsimultaneously, as illustrated schematically and described in the '729patent to Valles. It is anticipated that the invention may also be usedwith blow mold shells having only a single molding cavity, or blow moldshells having more than two molding cavities, as desired. In knownfashion, a series of neck cooling fluid openings 20 are defined in thetop edge of each blow mold half shell and in communication with suitablefluid conduits (not illustrated), such that a cooling or heat treatingfluid can be circulated through the neck of the shell during the blowmolding process.

[0034] As known to those of skill in the art, for example referring toFIG. 1 of the '729 patent to Valles, and the opening and closingmechanism of the '250 to Doudement, rotary blow mold machines providethe advantage of a high throughput such that the improved productionefficiency demanded by modern stretch blow mold producers may besatisfied. A drawback with this type of clam shell opening and closingmechanism, however, occurs when it is desired to change the blow moldhalf shells from a first size, shape, or design, to a second size,shape, and/or design, for example from a dual cavity mold shell to asingle cavity mold shell, as there typically is a very limited amount ofspace which is available for machine service technicians to remove thehalf shells and replace them with the appropriate half shells. Thisoftentimes has to be done within a protective enclosure (notillustrated) in which the rotary blow mold machine is housed,compounding the difficulty in changing over the mold shells.

[0035] As the carrier plates are fastened to the opening and closingmechanism, by using suitable threaded fasteners (not illustrated), andare not adapted for being readily changed out themselves, what must beadapted for quick changeover, then, is the blow mold half shells. Mostblow mold half shells, however, are affixed to their carrier plates bythreaded fasteners which are either passed through the carrier plate andinto the blow mold half shells, or by straps or other clamps passedacross the outside surfaces of the half shell and its carrier plate.Although these provide a generally satisfactory means of affixing theblow mold half shells to their respective carrier plates, the problemstill persists in that a limited amount of room is available for placingand removing the threaded fasteners within the carrier plates, halfshells, and/or clamps or straps used. Moreover, once the half shells areremoved and replaced, the precise re-alignment of the half shell withthe carrier plate is necessary in order to align any cooling channelswhich may be defined in the carrier plate and which feed into or receivethe discharge effluent from the half shell, in known fashion. If thisprecise alignment does not occur, the cooling fluid passed through thecarrier plate in the blow mold half shell may leak, resulting in a lessthan adequate heat treatment of the parison during the blow moldprocess, or may unduly cool portions of the blow mold half shell whichare not to be cooled, resulting in unsatisfactory containers.

[0036] With this as background, then, it is seen with reference to FIGS.1-4 that fastener clip 22 in conjunction with first opening 34 definedin carrier plate 7, and second opening 40 defined in the blow mold halfshell 14, provides a much simpler quick change blow mold shell assemblywhich can be quickly used to produced repeatedly accurate results inmounting blow mold half shells to their carrier plates during moldchangeover operations. Fastener clip 22 is provided with a body portion23 having a first leg 24 and a spaced second leg 26, both of whichextend away therefrom in a common direction. As best shown in FIGS.3A-3C, the first and second legs 24, 26 are parallel to one another,although they both have an inwardly facing tapered surface 27 extendingin the lengthwise direction of each such leg, and a pair of beveledsurfaces 28 extending along the lengthwise spaced, parallel side edgesof the tapered surface. It is anticipated that the tapered surfaces 27of each leg 24, 26 will have a taper angle, denoted by the referencecharacter “A” in FIG. 3A, of 15°. The taper angle A may be greater orless than 15°, although 15° is preferred in this construction.

[0037] The fastener clip 22 also includes a continuous throughbore 30defined therein such that an elongate threaded fastener 48 (FIG. 1) canbe passed therethrough for affixing the fastener clip to one of carrierplates 7. A counterbore 31 is drilled within the outside end of the bore30, such that a shoulder 32 is defined for seating the head of thefastener 48 thereon as the fastener clip is threadably affixed to itscarrier plate 7.

[0038] Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 4, a first slotted opening 34 isdefined in carrier plate 7, and is best described as being an elongateor slotted opening formed in the top edge 8 of the carrier plate. Theslotted opening 34 has a tapered surface 35 which is sized and shapedcomplimentarily to the tapered surfaces 27 on the legs of the fastenerclip 22. In similar fashion, a pair of spaced parallel beveled surfaces36 are defined along the opposite sides of the tapered surface 35. Afastener opening, preferably a threaded opening, is defined within thefirst slotted opening 34 and within carrier plate 7 for receivingfastener 48 therein.

[0039] A second slotted opening 40 is defined in the top edge 15 of theblow mold half shell 14. In the same fashion as does first opening 34,second opening 40 includes a tapered surface 41 which is the sizedcomplimentarily to the tapered surfaces 27 of the legs 24, 26 of thefastener clip 22, and has a pair of spaced parallel beveled surfaces 42formed along the opposite sides of tapered surface 41, and extending inthe lengthwise direction of the second opening 40.

[0040] So constructed, and as best shown in FIG. 1, fastener clip 22 ispositioned with its first leg 24 in first slotted opening 34, and asecond leg 26 in second slotted opening 40, as an elongate threadedfastener 48 is passed through the bore 30 and received within thethreaded opening 38 defined in the carrier plate. As this occurs, thetapered surfaces 27 of the fastener clip are received on the taperedsurfaces 35, 41, respectively of the first and second slotted openings34, 40. The fastener clip is thus threadably affixed to the carrierplate to securely fasten the blow mold half shell to its respectivecarrier plate. Simultaneously, the beveled surfaces 28 on the first andsecond legs of the fastener clip are also received on the beveledsurfaces 36, 42 of the first and second openings, respectively. Theconstruction of the respective tapered surfaces and beveled surfaces onthe legs of the fastener clip, and of the openings in the carrier plateand half shell together act to align the first and second openings withrespect to one another to ensure that any cooling ports defined withinthe blow mold half shell and/or the carrier plate become aligned, and toalso draw the blow mold half shell snuggly against its respectivecarrier plate such that it is held rigidly there against once thefastener clip has been threadably secured to the carrier plate 7.

[0041] Although reference is made with respect to the fastening of afastener clip 22 along the respective top edges 8, 15 of a carrier plate7 and a blow mold half shell 14, it is understood by those skilled inthe art, and as shown in FIG. 1, that a series of first and secondopenings 34 and 40 may be defined along the side edges 9, 11 of thecarrier plates 7, and the side edges 16, 18, of the blow mold half shell14, respectively, with identical ones of the fastener clips 22 placedtherein, such that the blow mold half shell is fixedly secured to itscarrier plate along the periphery of both the half shell and the carrierplate.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 1, as well as in FIG. 4, the fastener clip 22may be sized and shaped such that as it is passed into the openings 34,40 defined within the carrier plate and half shell respectively, it maybe received substantially flush therein, or may even be recessed withrespect to these edges. Similarly, and as also shown in FIG. 1, ifdesired, the fastener clip 22 may be received on the abutting edges ofthe blow mold half shell and its carrier plate, for example on side edge16 of the blow mold half shell and side edge 9 of its correspondingcarrier plate.

[0043] Still referring to FIG. 1, the blow mold shell assembly is shownclosed about a known type of base assembly 44, provided with a pedestal45 on which a base 46, or “crown”, portion of the blow mold shellassembly is provided. As is known, in operation the opening and closingdevice of the '250 patent to Doudement will open the blow mold shellsfor receiving preheated parisons therein and for ejecting the completed,i.e. molded, container. As the opening and closing mechanism begins toclose the blow mold half shells on one another for defining, at leastpartially, the container, the pedestal 45 is simultaneously moved upwardsuch that the base portion 46 of the mold becomes engaged on the bottomsurfaces (not illustrated) of the respective half shells, the halfshells being constructed and arranged, in known fashion, to be closedabout the base portion 46 for defining a substantially closed blow mold.

[0044] Although it is not shown in FIG. 1, it is anticipated that thequick change blow mold shell construction described hereinabove withreference to the blow mold half shells 14 and carrier plates 7, may beused with respect to pedestal 45 and base portion 46 for securing thebase portion to its pedestal, this making it even easier still to changeover blow mold shell assemblies when needed.

[0045] It will be appreciated that many modifications and otherembodiments of the invention will come to mind to those skilled in theart to which this invention pertains, having the benefit of theteachings presented in the foregoing description and the associateddrawings. It is understood, therefore, that the invention is not to belimited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and that manymodifications and other embodiments of the invention are intended to beincluded within the scope of the appended claims. For example, althougha construction of the fastener clip having a tapered surface and a pairof beveled side edges is disclosed, the bevels may be provided, or maybe dispensed with as desired, and the angle of taper may be increased,or decreased, as desired. Also, although specific terms are employedherein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and notfor the purposes of limiting the described invention, or the claimswhich follow.

I claim:
 1. A blow mold shell assembly, comprising: a carrier plate; afirst opening defined in an edge of said carrier plate; a blow moldshell; a second opening defined in an edge of said shell; said first andsecond openings being placed in registry with one another as said shellis positioned on said carrier plate; and a fastener clip sized andshaped to be received in each of said respective openings, said clipbeing constructed and arranged to align said first and second openingswith respect to one another while drawing said shell snugly against saidcarrier plate as a fastener is passed through said clip and into saidcarrier plate, and to fasten the shell to its carrier plate.
 2. The blowmold shell assembly of claim 1, wherein said fastener clip issubstantially U-shaped and has a first leg and a spaced second leg. 3.The blow mold shell assembly of claim 2, wherein said first leg isreceived within said first opening and said second leg is receivedwithin said second opening, and wherein said dip extends across the edgeof said carrier plate and said blow mold shell, respectively, in whicheach respective opening is defined.
 4. The blow mold shell assembly ofclaim 2, wherein each said leg extends in a lengthwise direction awayfrom a body portion of said clip, and is tapered in its lengthwisedirection.
 5. The blow mold shell assembly of claim 4, wherein each saidleg is tapered at an angle of approximately 15 degrees.
 6. The blow moldshell assembly of claim 4, wherein each said leg is beveled in itslengthwise direction.
 7. The blow mold shell assembly of claim 6,wherein each of said first and said second openings has a taperedsurface sized complimentarily to the taper of the respective leg of saidclip received therein, each said tapered surface also beingcomplimentarily beveled so that said clip progressively aligns saidfirst and second openings with respect to one another and progressivelydraws the shell and the carrier toward one another as said fastener ispassed therethrough and into the carrier plate.
 8. The blow mold shellassembly of claim 1, wherein said shell comprises a dual molding cavityhalf-shell.
 9. The blow mold shell assembly of claim 1, furthercomprising a plurality of said first openings defined in the edge ofsaid carrier plate, and a corresponding number of said second openingsdefined in the edge of said shell, the openings of the respective pairsof said openings being placed in registry with one another as said shellis positioned on said carrier plate, and one of said fastener clips foreach pair of said first and said second openings, respectively.
 10. Theblow mold shell assembly of claim 1, wherein each said opening isdefined as a recessed slotted opening within the edge of the carrierplate and the shell, respectively.
 11. The blow mold shell assembly ofclaim 1, said clip having an elongate bore defined therein and extendingtherethrough for receiving said fastener, and an annular shoulderdefined within said bore for abutting the fastener as the fastener ispassed into the carrier plate.
 12. The blow mold shell assembly of claim1, wherein said fastener comprises a threaded fastener.
 13. A blow moldshell assembly for use with a blow mold machine, said blow mold shellassembly comprising: a planar carrier plate having a top edge and twoparallel side edges extending from said top edge; a first slottedopening defined in the top edge of said carrier plate; a blow mold halfshell having a top edge and two parallel side edges extending from thetop edge thereof; a second slotted opening defined in the top edge ofsaid shell; said first and second openings being placed in approximateregistry with one another as said shell is positioned on said carrierplate; and a fastener clip sized and shaped to be received in each ofsaid respective openings, said clip being constructed and arranged toalign said openings with respect to one another and to draw said shellsnugly against said carrier plate as a fastener is passed through saidclip and into said carrier plate for fastening the half shell to thecarrier plate.
 14. The blow mold shell assembly of claim 13, whereinsaid clip extends across the top edge of said carrier plate and the topedge of said half shell within said first and second openings,respectively, and fits substantially flush therein with respect to saidtop edges.
 15. The blow mold shell assembly of claim 13, furthercomprising: at least a third slotted opening defined in one of the sideedges of said carrier plate; at least a fourth slotted opening definedwithin the corresponding side edge of said half shell; and at least asecond one of said fastener clips for being received within each said atleast a third opening and each said at least a fourth opening,respectively, so that said at least a second one of said fastener clipsaligns each said at least a third opening with each said at least afourth opening, respectively, and draws said shell snugly against saidcarrier plate as at least a second one of said fasteners is passedthrough said at least a second clip and into said carrier plate.
 16. Ablow mold shell assembly for use with a blow mold machine, the blow moldmachine having a clamshell style blow mold shell opening and closingmechanism to which said blow mold shell assembly is mounted, said blowmold shell assembly comprising: first and second carrier plates, eachsaid carrier plate being adapted to be separately affixed to the shellopening mechanism of the blow mold machine; first and second blow moldhalf shells for being separately and removably fastened to each saidcarrier plate, respectively, a first slotted opening defined in a topedge of each said carrier plate; a second slotted opening defined in atop edge of each said half shell; said first and second openings beingplaced in registry with one another as each respective shell is placedon its respective carrier plate; and a fastener clip for each said pairof first and second openings, respectively, each said clip being sizedand shaped to be received in both of the openings of each said pair ofopenings and being constructed and arranged to draw each said half shellsnugly against its respective carrier plate as a separate fastener ispassed through each said clip and into its respective carrier plate, andto fasten the half shell to its respective carrier plate.
 17. The blowmold shell assembly of claim 16, wherein each said fastener clip issubstantially U-shaped and has a first leg tapered in its lengthwisedirection and a second spaced leg tapered in its lengthwise direction,each said leg also being beveled in its respective lengthwise direction.18 The blow mold shell assembly of claim 17, wherein said first leg isreceived within said first opening and said second leg is receivedwithin said second opening, and wherein each of said clips extendsacross the top edge of its respective carrier plate and half shell inwhich said openings are defined.
 19. The blow mold shell assembly ofclaim 17, wherein each said leg is tapered in its lengthwise directionat an angle of approximately 15 degrees.
 20. The blow mold shellassembly of claim 17, wherein each of said first and said secondopenings has a tapered surface sized complimentarily to the taper of therespective leg of said clip received therein, and wherein each saidtapered surface is also beveled in its lengthwise direction so that therespective fastener clips progressively align said first and secondopenings with respect to one another, and progressively draw therespective shells and carrier plates toward one another as each saidfastener is passed into its respective carrier plate.
 21. The blow moldshell assembly of claim 17, further comprising: a pair of parallel sideedges extending from the top edge of each said carrier plate; a pair ofparallel side edges extending from the top edge of each said half shell;at least one slotted opening defined in one of the side edges of eachsaid carrier plate; at least one slotted opening defined within thecorresponding side edge of each said half shell; and one of saidfastener clips for each pair of said at least one slotted openings sothat each said fastener clip aligns the openings of each said pair ofslotted openings with respect to one another and draws its respectivehalf shell snugly against its carrier plate and as one of said fastenersis passed through each said clip and into the respective side edges ofsaid carrier plates.
 22. The blow mold shell assembly of claim 16,further comprising a removable base portion, each of said half shellsbeing sized and shaped to be closed about said base portion for defininga substantially closed blow mold assembly.